Category Archives: Mesquite

Nevada: No recovery yet

Posted on May 11, 2010 by David McKee

“We hit the bottom and are slowly climbing out,” contends Nevada Gaming Control Board analyst Frank Streshley, trying to put the best spin on a flat March. There were definitely some silver linings. Who’da thunk Laughlin (2.5%), Reno (5%) and … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, California, CityCenter, Current, Downtown, Economy, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, LVCVA, Marketing, Mesquite, MGM Mirage, Reno, Sports, The Strip | 10 Comments

What are …

Posted on March 18, 2010 by David McKee

… three casinos, two golf courses, a shooting range, a bunch of condos and some miscellaneous real estate worth? If they’re in Mesquite and they’re owned by the disaster area that is Black Gaming, they’re worth no more than $90 … Continue reading →

Posted in Cirque du Soleil, CityCenter, Economy, Entertainment, Marketing, Mesquite, MGM Mirage, Station Casinos, The Strip | 4 Comments

Chronicle of a Black foretold; River City looking good

Posted on March 2, 2010 by David McKee

Randy Black, that is. The CEO who ran the Mesquite market straight into the ground (with a sizable assist from the Nevada Gaming Control Board and Gaming Commission) and turned the former Si Redd’s Oasis into a slot route — … Continue reading →

Posted in Archon Corp., Boyd Gaming, Current, Don Barden, Election, Harry Reid, IGT, Mesquite, Michael Gaughan, Midnight Jim Gibbons, Pinnacle Entertainment, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Regulation, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, TV, Wall Street, WMS Industries | 1 Comment

Lights, Camera, Mesquite!

Posted on January 28, 2010 by David McKee

Call me Captain Video today. After 21, with Kevin Spacey doing his rent-a-Satan act, anyone would be understandably leery of movies about card-counting … especially ones directed by someone named Delaney Dragon. (Would he be any relation to The Eiger … Continue reading →

Posted in Boulder Strip, Current, Downtown, Mesquite, Movies | 1 Comment

Stanley Ho vs. MGM Mirage

Posted on December 31, 2009 by David McKee

Whose casino would you rather visit … … Stanley Ho‘s Oceanus at Jai Alai or … … MGM Mirage‘s CityCenter? I’ll bet you’ve never heard a megaresort described as a “campus” before. True, CityCenter has Henry Moore and Maya Lin … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Macau, Mesquite, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Stanley Ho, The Strip | 3 Comments

Going … going … Gaughan

Posted on December 30, 2009 by David McKee

Having been handed a virtual monopoly on the Mesquite casino market by Nevada regulators, blowhard Randy Black proceeded to run it and his company into the ground. So he entered prepackaged bankruptcy this week and proclaimed victory. And why not? … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Economy, Mesquite, Michael Gaughan, Pets | Comments Off on Going … going … Gaughan

Strip bottoming out

Posted on November 10, 2009 by David McKee

September’s Nevada gaming revenue numbers are in and the good news is that the Strip is only -4% year/year. (Strip revs were down all of ’08 but didn’t fall off the cliff until October, when they tumbled 26%.) This makes … Continue reading →

Posted in Aristocrat, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Columbia Sussex, Current, Economy, G2E, Harrah's, Herbst Gaming, International, Isle of Capri, Macau, Mesquite, Ohio, Reno, Sheldon Adelson, Stanley Ho, Station Casinos, Steve Wynn, The Strip, Tourism, Transportation, Wall Street | Comments Off on Strip bottoming out

Colony Capital strikes (out) again; Big Bleauh

Posted on August 17, 2009 by David McKee

Despite taking a 22% gouge out of expenses, Colony Capital and its Goldman Sachs sidekicks managed to convert a 2Q08 profit to a $10.5 million 2Q09 loss. Revenues were down $30 million (or 40%), half of that from diminished room … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Current, Economy, Fontainebleau, Genting, Harrah's, Laughlin, Mesquite, Penn National, Planet Hollywood, Sheldon Adelson, Singapore, Steve Wynn, The Strip | Comments Off on Colony Capital strikes (out) again; Big Bleauh

First, some good news

Posted on April 16, 2009 by David McKee

In a refreshing change of pace comes news of a casino that’s on schedule for its opening. OK, so it’s in Dodge City, Kansas, but we’ll take good news wherever we can get it these days. Whoever thought avionics firm … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Economy, Entertainment, Herbst Gaming, Kansas, Labor, LVCVA, Marketing, Mesquite, Sheldon Adelson, Station Casinos, The Strip | Comments Off on First, some good news

Gibbons retreats, sorta

Posted on February 23, 2009 by David McKee

Gov. Jim Gibbons has scuttled away from one of his several proposals to jack up taxes on the only segment of Nevada that's carrying its own weight — the casino bidness. He's retreating from a demand that casinos pay taxes … Continue reading →

Posted in Atlantic City, Boulder Strip, Boyd Gaming, Colony Capital, Columbia Sussex, Donald Trump, Downtown, Economy, M Resort, Marketing, Mesquite, Movies, Politics, Station Casinos, Taxes, TV, Wall Street | Comments Off on Gibbons retreats, sorta

Who are they kidding?

Posted on February 2, 2009 by David McKee

Mesquite casino oligopolist Randy Black bought himself some TV ad time during the Super Bowl to tout his latest value proposition (starring one Randy Black). His opening gambit: "Everybody's cutting back." Uh no, not if you're Randy Black and just … Continue reading →

Posted in Columbia Sussex, Current, Donald Trump, Economy, Harrah's, Marketing, Mesquite, Phil Ruffin, The Strip, TV | Comments Off on Who are they kidding?

Rogues' gallery

Posted on January 15, 2009 by David McKee

After a fitful start, blogorrhea is sweeping the business desk of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, resulting a veritable flood of news nuggets today … Planet Hollywood prexy Michael Mecca has resigned to pursue the proverbial "other opportunities" at a time … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Cannery Casino Resorts, Columbia Sussex, Current, Dining, Economy, Entertainment, Harrah's, James Packer, Marketing, Mesquite, MGM Mirage, Planet Hollywood, Politics, Regulation, Reno, The Strip, Tropicana Entertainment | Comments Off on Rogues' gallery